Art lovers have until the middle of next month to catch Vermeer in Munich at the Alte Pinakothek. The exhibition, which opened in March and will run until Sunday June 19th, features paintings by Johannes Vermeer that formerly belonged to the private collection of Max I Joseph, the first King of Bavaria. It includes the Dutch artist's famous 1664 masterpiece Woman Holding a Balance, which is currently on loan at the Munich venue from the National Gallery of Art in WashingtonDC. As well as works by Vermeer, the exhibition is comprised of exceptional paintings by ...

The Teatro Real in Madrid is hosting a series of performances of Las Bodas de Figaro by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Running from May 30th to June 17th, the show will feature a strong cast including Pietro Spagnoli in the role of Figaro and Annette Dasch as the Condesa de Almaviva. The production, known as The Marriage of Figaro in English, is one of Mozart's most successful works, with the overture often performed on its own in concerts. He adapted the story from a play by Pierre Beaumarchais, which was itself originally banned for its subversive nature. According ...

A very special concert is due to take place in the cloisters of the Pedralbes Monastery in Barcelona entitled East West: Pilgrimages of the Soul. The show on June 6th 2011 will feature performances by Montserrat Figueras and Lior Elmalich, as well as accompaniment from Hesperion XXI. In keeping with the show's theme, there will be guest musicians from Armenia, Greece, Turkey and Morocco among others, with poetry and spirituality set to be ongoing themes revisited over the course of the evening. Adding to the experience will be the location of the gig, as the Pedralbes ...

The Charles Causley Festival is due to take place in Launceston from Wednesday June 1st to Sunday June 5th this year. Visitors to the Cornish town will find a number of exhibitions, performances, book signings and talks taking place during the five-day celebration of art and literature. The festival was founded in tribute to Charles Causley, the late poet and writer who was born in Launceston in 1917 and spent most of his life working in Cornwall. Held for the first time last summer, it features a mixture of ticketed events and informal talks at which donations ...

People spending time in Dusseldorf this summer may come across one of the city's most famous customs. The cartwheel is a symbol of the city, with a sculpture of cartwheeling children standing proudly in the Burgplatz and many local youngsters offering to perform the acrobatic feat for a few coins. Every summer, this aspect of Dusseldorf's culture is celebrated at the Stadtsparkasse Cartwheeling Tournament. This free event has been taking place on the banks of the Rhine annually since 1937 and offers visitors a great chance to experience one of the city's more ...

Cyclists of all abilities are invited to put their skills to the test at an event in Pembrokeshire next month. The Wales Sportive is due to start and finish in Tenby on Saturday June 4th, with riders completing a course of 40, 72 or 112 miles. Designed as a challenge of physical endurance and mental strength, the 112-mile route is the same gruelling course that faces competitors in the Ironman Wales triathlon. Entry is priced at GBP30 for all distances, with registration now open on the event's official website. The Wales Sportive forms part of the official ...

London's Victoria Park is hosting LED presents Deadmau5, which will be the first time the electro dance act has taken part in an outdoor show. The Canadian's stock has been rising steadily in recent years and his mouse-head logo will now be familiar to most dance fans. He actually often performs shows wearing the animal costume, although the 30-year-old has not confirmed if he will do so at the London gig. Aside from the headline act, the LED show on Saturday June 11th features a hugely strong support bill that includes names such as Calvin Harris, Mark Ronson ...

Legendary singer-songwriter Neil Diamond is set to play live in Berlin next month. The evergreen performer's show at the O2 World on Tuesday June 7th will give fans a chance to hear classic hits from his extensive back catalogue. With songs like Sweet Caroline, I'm a Believer and Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon to his name, Diamond has sold millions of records worldwide and is one of the most successful recording artists in US Billboard chart history. The New York-born musician was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame earlier this year and shows no signs of ...

International star of stage and screen Rupert Everett will play the role of Henry Higgins in an adaptation of George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion in London. The current run will see the Garrick Theatre host the show until September 3rd 2011. As Higgins, Everett will take on the part of an egocentric academic who makes a bet with a friend that he can transform a Cockney flower girl and pass her off as a conventional society lady. His acting credits range from cross-dressing to play the headmistress in the recent St Trinian's films to acclaimed roles in The Ideal Husband ...

In the first of a series of new reports, a coalition of pharmaceutical industry trade organizations outlines the serious burden that chronic diseases place on patients and global health care systems. "Fighting Chronic Disease: Importance of Non-communicable Diseases" is the first of four reports that look at this growing issue for patients and health care systems around the world. The report was compiled by the European Federation of the Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations, the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations, ...

On April 3, 2011, The Spa on Green Street, a client of Anakiri BioEnergetic Skin Care, received the coveted LNE and Spa award from Les Nouvelles Esthetiques & Spa magazine (LNE) and Spa Magazine for the best spa in the green/wellness category. In the May issue of LNE, Amanda Clinton, Assistant Editor, wrote that the award was "created to recognize and express appreciation for outstanding spas throughout the United States, specifically in the Central, Southeast, West, and Northeast regions of the country." Clinton further explained that, "The regional ...

Of the many fillers used to restore a youthful appearance, Juvederm ranks at the top of the list for many of the country's top cosmetic surgeons. So, why this product when there are so many fillers on the market? While the others are as effective as they ever were, Juvederm ups the ante significantly. About Juvederm Juvederm is made of hyaluronic acid (HA), a sugar that occurs naturally in human tissues. HA is believed to play a role in healing, especially of the skin. HA binds with water to produce a plumping effect, up to 1,000 times its volume. HA helps skin ...

For disabled individuals across the country, Social Security benefits are a much-needed safety net. But, whether pursuing a claim for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI), many applicants face significant delays and obstacles. Wait times for Social Security Disability benefits have reached up to several years in some parts of the country. Since the application and appeals process is complex, but critically important, choosing the right representation is essential in reaching a successful outcome. With the proper advocate, you ...

The J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa is a non-immigrant visa that permits visitors from approved countries entry to the US. The exchange program is designed to "promote mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries by educational and cultural exchanges." Some exchange visitors are subject to a condition that they must return to their home country and remain there for two years at the end of the exchange visitor program. Exchange visitors from these nations are subject to a specialized knowledge or skill requirement ...

A recent USA Today article discusses the question of distracted driving and the recent publicity campaign by the Department of Transportation (DOT), including the personal presence of Secretary Ray LaHood. DOT has created a website www.distraction.gov, focused solely on the issue of distracted driving. The USA Today points to Toyota spending $50 million to research the issue. Yet the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) says there's no evidence that distracted driving is leading to more crashes or that laws banning texting or handheld cells are having any ...

When cars and cycles collide, the motorcyclist is most at risk of serious injuries. There is so little protection, there on the bike, whereas the drivers of cars are encased in steel. Now, new technology may be able to warn passenger car drivers when they are within a "threat range" of a motorcycle. Guiseppe Pino Mileto, an inventor based in Toronto, has announced plans for a transmitter/receiver device called the Motorcycle Warning System. It could potentially reduce accidents significantly by making passenger vehicles more aware of motorcycles. Why a Warning ...

The U.S. economy has experienced one of the most turbulent times in its history over the past few years. A weak housing market and high unemployment rates have left many people uncertain about their future while struggling to get out from under debt. As a result of these difficult economic times, many people have been forced to consider bankruptcy. According to The Wall Street Journal, 1.41 million people filed for bankruptcy in 2009, up 32 percent from 2008. While bankruptcy has been a helpful and necessary process for many people, some are hesitant to take that step ...

Some upstate New York college students may think anything that happens on campus stays on campus, but this does not hold true for criminal activities. If charged with and convicted of state or federal crimes, college students could face serious legal consequences that may limit their future potential. While college students may be capable and intelligent enough to handle many difficult situations, they need the help and support of their parents and an experienced criminal defense attorney to minimize the impact of criminal charges. Criminal Charges While the campus ...

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center had noticed that, despite a hospital-wide program to prevent patient falls, the cardiovascular progressive care unit experienced an increase in the rate of patient falls. To address the problem, investigators reviewed current literature about fall prevention and designed an education program. Using some basic guidelines from Ryu, Roche, and Brunton (2009), the program incorporated education for patients as well as families and included a booklet and a poster for each patient room. In the two months before the program ...

Searching public databases in 2010, researchers looked at the distribution of primary stroke centers, designated such by state health departments or national organizations (such as The Joint Commission in collaboration with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association). They found that 24 percent of acute general hospitals are certified stroke centers. Notably, in the eight states that have a state-based program that designates such hospitals, the percentage (63 percent) of certified stroke centers was higher than in states that don't (13 percent). Stroke ...

Hip replacement surgery has become a fairly common procedure in the U.S., with more than 193,000 total hip replacement procedures performed annually. Well-known people ranging from 41st president George Bush to rocker Eddie Van Halen have had the surgery, and continue to lead successful lives. But even under the best circumstances, hip replacements can wear out, sometimes requiring subsequent surgeries 15-20 years later. These second procedures, known as "revision surgeries" are often less successful, and for an increasingly large number of people, they're ...

ANN ARBOR, Mich.---Want to convince someone to do something? A new University of Michigan study has some intriguing insights drawn from how we speak. The study, presented May 14 at the annual meeting of the American Association for Public Opinion Research, examines how various speech characteristics influence people's decisions to participate in telephone surveys. But its findings have implications for many other situations, from closing sales to swaying voters and getting stubborn spouses to see things your way. "Interviewers who spoke moderately fast, at a rate of ...

(Toronto – May 15, 2011) – An international research team led by Dr. Tak Mak, Director, The Campbell Family Institute for Breast Cancer Research at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH), has discovered a new aspect of "metabolic transformation", the process whereby tumour cells adapt and survive under conditions that would kill normal cells. The findings, published today in Genes and Development (http://www.genesdev.org/cgi/doi/10.1101/gad.1987211), show how breast cancer cells can thrive when deprived of their usual diet of glucose (sugar) and oxygen by turning to fatty acids ...

First Century Bank N, A. (FCB) of Gainesville, GA announced today that it is embarking on a major expansion of its Reverse Mortgage Division in the Southeast United States. As part of this initiative, FCB will be recruiting Reverse Mortgage Consultants to fill 30 to 50 positions over the next 6-12 months. According to Daniel Diaddigo, President, FCB Mortgage Division, "FCB is committed to providing outstanding mortgage products in the communities that we serve. The significant growth in our Reverse Mortgage Division is a reflection of the needs in our current communities. ...

WASHINGTON — Patients with small kidney tumors are more likely to be offered treatment options based on surgeons' case volume and type of practice than on tumor characteristics, a Mayo Clinic study has found. Fellowship-trained surgeons who practice in academic medical centers with high volumes of patients with kidney tumors were 70 to 80 percent more likely to follow American Urological Association (AUA) guidelines by recommending partial nephrectomy. Surgeons in private practice who see few patients with kidney tumors more often offered radical nephrectomy: removal of ...